“Chapter 20: The Bitterness of Lotus Heart Tea”

"Chapter 20: The Bitterness of Lotus Heart Tea"

"Jiazhi Pavilion in Minghua Palace was Lady He's residence."

"After the incident, all servants and eunuchs of Jiazhi Pavilion were thrown into the brutal prison."

"The servants and eunuchs serving Lady Wei and the Third Prince in Chengyang Palace were executed by beating, none spared. To set an example and as a warning, the Emperor decreed that the beatings be supervised by Empress Liu, with all the consorts required to witness the punishment at Chengyang Palace."

"When Zhu Yan heard the news, Chengyang Palace had already turned into a bloodbath."

"In the entire harem, only she and Lady Chu Li did not receive the imperial command to witness the execution."

"Eunuch Xing'en told me that when the Emperor issued the decree, he specifically instructed that Your Highness need not attend. He also said to inform you about this later," Qu Gu said, trying to stop Zhu Yan, who was on her way out of Fuhua Palace, kneeling in her path. "Your Highness, even if you went now, it would be too late."

"That's over a hundred lives," Zhu Yan said, trembling as she pointed towards Chengyang Palace, a mix of shock, fear, and apprehension in her voice.

"Your Highness,"

Qu Gu called out, attempting to explain: "In the harem, the fates of mothers and sons, masters and servants, are intertwined. The injury of the Third Prince and Lady Wei's madness inevitably led to consequences for those who served them."

"Qu Gu, have you ever thought about your own fate for staying by my side?"

"I believe in Your Highness."

"You believe in me? Ha..."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yan laughed bitterly, her headdress trembling as she leaned on the door, tears streaming down her face. "I don’t know what you believe in me for. Is it for Ah Ji or for my face?"

Her fingernail gently traced her cheek.

A red mark appeared immediately on her delicate porcelain skin.

"In the eyes of the Emperor, Your Highness is different from others..."

"Serving others with beauty only brings temporary favor," Zhu Yan interrupted Qu Gu, looking at her with almost naive eyes. "How many years have you been in the palace, Gu Gu?"

"Thirty years," Qu Gu replied, realizing that Zhu Yan did not really need her answer.

"Indeed," Zhu Yan asked with a laugh, "In your thirty years in the palace, have you ever seen anyone who remained forever in power?"

"Yes, the late Empress Wen Zhen."

Empress Wen Zhen was the Emperor's birth mother. She enjoyed fifteen years of favor in the former Emperor's harem. Of the former Emperor's twenty-one sons, it was her status that initially secured the current Emperor's position as Crown Prince, followed by his own merits that won the former Emperor's favor.

Zhu Yan didn't expect Qu Gu to bring up this example and was momentarily speechless, finally commenting, "But Empress Wen Zhen died at the age of thirty."

Zhu Yan turned back and walked to her seat in the main hall, her momentary impulse to rush out - a mix of righteous indignation, shock, and disbelief - fading after Qu Gu's interruption. She soberly realized her powerlessness to intervene.

She couldn't even save herself.

Coming to this era, she had trapped herself in this deep palace of nine layers.

How could she save others?

The Emperor would never allow her to interfere, not even giving her the chance. Besides, she had never understood the whole situation from the beginning.

"Do you know why Lady Wei would harm the Third Prince?" Zhu Yan referred to Lady Wei, formerly known as Consort Wei. Now, calling her Consort Wei seemed inappropriate, and calling her Lady Wei felt unfamiliar, so she simply referred to her as Lady Wei. If Lady Wei were still in the Northern Palace, Zhu Yan would have liked to ask her directly, but unfortunately, she had already been transferred out of the palace.

"I do not know," Qu Gu replied, shaking her head.

"The Third Prince is her own son. Isn't it absurd and laughable for a mother to harm her own child?"

This was the point Zhu Yan found most incomprehensible. Disregarding the complex interdependencies of mothers and sons in the harem, Consort Wei was the only concubine in the Emperor's harem to have both a son and a daughter, holding a prestigious position as a first-rank consort. The Third Prince was a lucky child, favored by the Emperor.

Had Consort Wei lost her senses? Even if someone had set her up or switched her soul, it wouldn't make sense for her to commit such an illogical act.

Therefore, she doesn't believe it.

Even if Consort Wei was demoted to a commoner, she wouldn’t believe it.

Subsequently, the Emperor ordered that Consort Wei’s father and brothers be stripped of their official positions for failing to properly educate their daughter, reducing them to commoners. All direct descendants for five generations were barred from holding official positions. This meant they could only rely on the Third Prince, and their preservation, without further punishment, was also due to the Third Prince.

This was a clear message to the Wei family that their fortune was tied to the Third Prince. It was rumored that someone was specifically sent to convey this message to the Wei family in Yunlin Pavilion of the Nanshan Garden.

If all of this were true.

Then, what reason could drive a mother to harm her own child? Zhu Yan thought hard and could only come up with one possibility: a threat to her own life so severe that she would risk everything, trading an arm for a life... At that thought, Zhu Yan felt a chill run down her spine, her blood turning cold.

Her limbs felt weak, her fingertips cold.

It can't be, it can't be… Zhu Yan shook her head vigorously, trying to dismiss this absurd notion from her mind.

However, some thoughts, once they take root, grow wildly like weeds in a spring field – impossible to cut down or burn away. Without a definitive answer, these thoughts refuse to cease.

"Your Majesty, don't let your thoughts run wild. The one who harmed the Third Prince can only be Lady He, not Lady Wei."

A voice of counsel suddenly rang in her ear, startling Zhu Yan back to reality. She looked up to see Qu Gu's serious face, filled with worry and disapproval.

——

In early March, Zhu Yan's 20th birthday arrived.

Like the previous year, she declined Empress Liu's invitation to a birthday feast.

March 23rd marks the Emperor's Thousand Autumns Festival.

To dispel the gloom in the palace, Empress Liu decided to celebrate grandly, coinciding with the recovery of the Third Prince and the news of Su Wanqing's four-month pregnancy in the North Palace. At the Empress's strong suggestion, Su Wanqing was restored to her position as Cairen, moved out of the North Palace, and took residence in Minghua Palace.

Seizing the joyous occasion of the Thousand Autumns Festival, the promotions of two consorts in the harem were celebrated.

Lady Chu Li was promoted to a first-rank consort, keeping her title unchanged. In the Emperor's words, since the Virtuous and the Gentle Consorts lacked their respective virtues, there was no point in sullying these good qualities and titles. The titles of Virtuous and Gentle were abolished, leaving only the titles of Noble, Beautiful, and Virtuous.

Of the four consort titles, only Noble, Beautiful, and Virtuous remained.

Lady Wang Zhao, on the verge of childbirth, was preemptively promoted to a first-rank Virtuous Consort.

At the Thousand Autumns Festival banquet, the Princess of Chongyang recommended Lady Chu Li's sister to the Emperor. Compared to Lady Chu Li's cold and stunning beauty and extraordinary dance skills, her sister was more charming and alluring, with a melodious voice and exceptional skills on the pipa, her music heavenly, echoing for days.

She was immediately conferred the title of Cairen.

At the banquet, under the encouragement of Princess Chongyang, Lady Chu Li, who had not danced in public for a long time, took the stage. She performed "Xizhou Melody" with the newly titled Lady Chu, her sister, accompanying her. Princess Chongyang mentioned that before Lady Chu Li entered the palace, the sisters often performed together at the princess's residence.

A dance that captivated all directions, a melody that seemed heavenly.

The dance was as graceful as willows in the moonlight, and the song as delicate as a breeze beneath peach blossoms.

Zhuyan was utterly enchanted by the performance. After the dance and music ended, she had to admit that Princess Chongyang was indeed talented. If she lived in the modern era, she would be perfect for headhunting and training, capable of finding and shaping various beauties to present to the despicable Emperor.

Truly a world-class, considerate sister.

With the superb performance of Lady Chu Li and her sister setting a high bar, the following performances by the Music Bureau paled in comparison, leaving Zhuyan disinterested. She was about to take the opportunity to leave early when she noticed Xing En approaching her, holding a moon-white cloud-patterned tea bowl.

"Your Highness," Xing En stopped behind Zhuyan, bowing with the tea bowl in hand, then offered it to her, "This is tea bestowed by His Majesty."

"What kind of tea?"

"Your Highness might wish to taste it yourself."

With many eyes turning towards her, Zhu Yan had no choice but to accept the bowl under their watchful gazes.

However, just as she took it, Xing En added, "The Emperor wishes for Your Majesty to finish it."

Zhu Yan pondered; she hadn't provoked the Emperor lately and couldn't fathom his intentions. Moreover, with Xing En's arrival, she sensed a persistent gaze from the main seat, undoubtedly the Emperor's, so she refrained from looking up.

The number of onlookers increased.

Glancing at Xing En, who lingered, Zhu Yan lifted the lid of the bowl to reveal plain tea, already strained. She took a sip, tasting its bitterness - it was lotus heart tea. Without further thought, she poured out the tea and handed the bowl back to Xing En, saying, "I'm unwell, I'll take my leave now."

After speaking, she turned and left, leaving behind a stunned silence.

Author's note:

Today's update~